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NOTES OF A TRIP 



rn 



ROUGH THE JAMES RlVER VALLEY 



By JOSEPH D. WEEKS. 



COMPLIMENTS OP 

JOS. D. WEEKS. 



NOTES OF A TRIP 



— THROUGH THE — 



James River Valley. 



By JOSEPH D. WEEKS. 



A paper read before the Engineers' Society 



OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 



Febnxctry ££cl, 1881. 



PITTSBURGH : 

NATIONAL IRON AND STEEL PUBLISHING COMPANY. 

I88l. 



& 






<b 




NOTES OF A TRIP THROUGH THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY. 



By Joseph D. Weeks, Associate Editor of the "Iron Age." 

A paper read before the Engineers' Society of Western Pennsylvania, February 22, 1881. 



In the social and political history of this 
country the Valley of the James plays no in- 
considerable part. At the time of its first set- 
tlement, near the opening of the seventeenth 
century, the daring and adventures of one of 
the most remarkable men of modern times 
threw a glamour of romance about its waters 
and gave its banks a wealth of legend that 
even yet has all the charm of fiction and the 
interest of history. Nearly two centuries 
later the closing scenes of the American Revo- 
lution were enacted on its banks, and across 
its waters echoed the last gun of the war that 
gave this nation existence. And when, near 
the close of another century, the question 
whether that existence should be perpetuated 
was submitted to the arbitrament of war, this 
valley felt the heaviest shocks of battle and 
witnessed at Appomattox the decision of the 
contest. 

Strangely enough, however, though the be- 
ginnings of our industrial life, as well as our 
political life, were on the banks of the James, 
its industrial history has been very meagre. 
As early as 1608, less than two years after 
Captain Newport brought his first vessel to 
anchor in its waters, the manufacture of glass 
was begun near Jamestown ; and in 1619 or 
1620 an iron works was established at Falling 
Creek, a branch of the James. It was also 
from Virginia, which at that time meant 
only the James River Valley, as earlv as 1609, 
that the first exports of manufactured articles 
from this country were sent to England. 

The industrial life of which these begin- 
nings gave such bright promise has had no 
vigorous growth. Iron works have been es- 
tablished at various points in the state, but 
they have attained little or no prominence, 
except in certain cases for excellence of pro- 
duct, and have led to the building of no large 
centres of iron industry such as exist in Penn- 
sylvania. 

This lack of industrial life in the Valley of 
the James — of those conquests that mark this 
century — has not been for want of opportu- 
nity. For fifty years it has had developed, in 
the James River and Kanawha Canal, one of 
the grandest water powers on this continent ; 
one, in comparison with which' the Merri- 
mack, which turns the busy spindles of Man- 
chester, Nashua, Lowell and Lawrence, is an 
insignificant stream ; and yet this power has | 



lain fallow, while, shaken by the very rush 
and roar of its waters, forming the very sides 
and containing walls of the pools and reser- 
voirs that store up this vast power, has been 
a wealth of undeveloped mineral resources 
with which few if any other states have been 
endowed. 

It is more especially to some of the mineral 
resources of this valley that I wish to direct 
your attention. 

Finding its source in the heart of the Alle- 
ghenies, the James runs parallel to their base, 
in a southeasterly direction for some distance, 
breaking through their most easterly spur at 
the magnificent pass of Balcony Falls, and 
still pursuing its general southeasterly di- 
rection until it strikes Mt. Athos, some six 
miles below Lynchburg, where it turns ab- 
ruptly to the northeast, being deflected by 
the massive quartzites which carry the moun- 
tain. It runs in this general direction for 
some 50 miles, to Scottsville, where it re- 
sumes its southeasterly direction to Rich- 
mond. 

In this valley " are found in great abund- 
ance and of superior quality, every variety 
of ore that is profitably worked for iron any- 
where in the world, with the exception of 
the carbonates, like the ' clay ironstones' and 
'black band ores' of England."* In the upper 
part of the valley, before the river breaks 
through the Alleghenies, especially at Clifton 
Forge, at the point that has been so felicitously 
called "Iron Gate," and at various other points, 
are found deposits of brown and red hema- 
tites that can only be described as immense. 
At points in this region huge cliffs of ore form 
the summits and sides of spurs and hills, 
while along their sides and at their bases are 
scattered lumps and boulders of solid ore of a 
fair quality and in sufficient quantity to sup- 
ply a city like Pittsburgh for months. 

Between Balcony Falls and Lynchburg other 
immense deposits are said to exist; but of 
these I can speak only from hearsay. Below 
Lynchburg, however, at the very point at 
which the James turns toward the north — is 
not this significant ? — begins a remarkable 
ore region. Veins of rich and pure slate and 
magnetic ore run parallel to and at no great 
distance from large veins of red and brown 

*Prof. Campbell. 



106 



Engineers' Society of Western Pennsylvania 



hematites, not so rich or pure as the former, 
but sufficiently so to make very good forge 
irons. 

For the entire valley, from Mt. Athos to 
Scottsville.or from the point where the James 
turns to the north to where it resumes its 
southward direction again, the ore-b< 
rocks have been traced. The northwestern 
boundary of these rocks is the Buffalo ridge 
and its extensions. The southeasterly has 
not been determined. Sufficient has been 
learned, however, to indicate that the rocks 
have a width of several miles and that they 
extend through the state in a southwesterly 
direction. Extensive openings have been 
made on the Mt. Athos property, which ex- 
tends some six and a-half miles down this 
valley, which have developed as many as six- 
teen veins of ore. The ore-bearing formations 
consist of alternations of quartzites and mi- 
caceous, talcose and chloritic slates, having a 
dip of from 10° to 45°; usually, however, nearly 
vertical. 

The ores of the Mount Athos property have 
been divided into four systems or belts : 

(1) Mount Athos. 

(2) Chestnut Mountain. 

(3) The Red Ore. 

(4) The Pot Ore. 

To a Pittsburgh audience the most import- 
ant of these belts are the first and second. 
The ores in these belts are mostly specular 
and magnetic, with one vein of manganifer- 
ous. What is locally known as No. 7 of the 
Chestnut Mountain system is a fine high grade 
micaceous ore. Two shafts have been sunk 
on this vein to a depth of 90 feet and connect- 
ed at the bottom. These shafts show the ore 
to be 12 feet wide, one-third of which will 
yield 65 per cent of metallic iron, and the 
balance 4t) per cent to 55 per cent, all free 
from sulphur and low in phosphorus. 
. No. 14 of the third or red ore belt con- 
sists of a series of red and brown hematites, 
alternating with slate, of a total breadth of 
from 300 to 600 feet, the ore veins being from 
2 to 20 feet. The red hematites of this belt 
are low in phosphorus and free from sulphur, 
carrying from 40 per cent to 60 per cent of 
metallic iron. 

It is not possible in the limits of this paper 
to enter into a detailed description of these 
deposits. The investigations show that there 
exists an immense body of easily-mined ores, 
many of which are low in phosphorus and 
high in metallic iron, some of the best carry- 
ing considerable manganese. The chief draw- 
hack is the smallness of the rich veins and 
the necessity of the careful selection of the 
rich ores from the gangue of the leaner, but 
experience seems to prove that the veins not 
only grow wider as they descend, but, in the 
case of the low grade surface ores, richer. The 
following analyses are of the different veins of 
the Mount Athos property • 







VEINS. 






No. 1. 

3.04 
0.10 
0.11 
91.39 
0.17 
1.20 
(i 15 
0.20 
0.64 


No. 3. 


No. 7. 


Silicic Acid (quartz) 
Titanic Acid 


l i.r.T 
0.12 

82.38 
0.32 
L.96 
0.06 
0.23 
0.1S 


1.10 
0.15 

90.74 
0.11 

0.12 

0.29 
0.04 


Phosphoric A.cld 


Ferric Oxide 


Manganic < ixide 


Alumina 


Magnesia 










100.00 


100.00 


100.00 


Metallic iron 


0.048 


57.68 
0.035 


65 71 


Phosphorus 


009 







No. 1. No. 4. No.10. No.13. No.15. No.16. 



Metallic Iron..56.6G7 36.16 60.18 53.50 57.70 56.3a 

Note.— Nos. 1, 4, 10 and 15 are almost free of phospho- 
rus. 

SUNDRY ANALYSES OF NO. 14. 



50.632 I 
1.836 0.008 



Meta'c [run 


41.52 


33.59 


is.:::: 


30.88 


56.80 


Phosphor's. 


0.265 


0.079 


0.47 


none 


0.97 



Metallic 

Iron 

Phos- 
phorus.. 

Sulphur 



No. 1. 


No. 3. 


No. 4. 


No. 4 


No. 4 


65.713 


62.987 


57.600 


64.85 


33.43 


0.046 


0.172 


0.048 


tr'ce 


0.12 


none 


0.022 


none 







Nol3 No.16 



62.126 42.02 



0.159 
0.011 



1.01 



39.357 
0.110 
0.032 



SUNDRY ANALYSES OF NO. 7. 



Metallic Iron 
Phosphorus.... 
Sulphur 



62.760 


67.05 


67.797 


0.015 


0.01 


0.019 


0.031 




none. 



68.340 
0.008 
trace. 



Note.— Vein not numbered. Available binoxide of 
manganese, 67.20. 

At a short distance below the Mt. Athos 
property these same ores are being mined 
quite extensively. Dr. J. P. Kimball, in re- 
porting on these deposits, says: "The ores are 
disposed in beds or veins between strata of 
different composition. They seem to me to 
be, unlike the ferriferous schists of Michigan 
and Missouri, segregated deposits of ore which 
have been metamorphosed along with the 
whole series of strata. The degree of meta- 
morphism has been slight as compared with 
the Hurorian schists, and in some cases 
they are still soft or only partially altered. 
While specular hematite is the prevailing 
form of iron ore some of the deposits are in 
part in the state of magnetic oxide; others 
again are admixtures of magnetic and specu- 



Weeks — Notes of a Trip Through the James River Valley. 



107 



lar oxides; while still others, especially those 
of which limestone forms one of the walls, 
are compact brown hematite (limonite) — at 
least near the surface." 

It is not necessary to enter into the details of 
the formations at these points, as they are 
similar to those at Mt. Athos. As showing 
the character of these ores, however, we ap- 
pend a table of analyses: 




- T 

5s J 


c© as 

p CO p p p p en p p 

1 bo to ^j '*. in co to o io 

CO CO ^- CO to 

en 


r. 


1 1 


3.96 

0.052 
0.177 


1 «» 

1 CO 




66.622 
0.022 
92.002 


re -j 


1 1 


OS 

1 I3I 


1 1 



. P*- 


3' 




o 

1 M 1 8 1 


1 1 


- 05 

1 boo 

1 coo 


Mill §1 

Ot 00 


CO 


I 1 


I I S| 


1 1 


61.12 

0.088 


3 £3. 

• 3 - 


1 1 


1 1 Si 


1 i 


1 p -° 

o=> 

1 *- to 


■ 



53.01 

0.135 
11.26 


3 




Hematite Payne 

Tract. 


69.71 
0.25 

7.87 


§ 


Magnetite Payne 
Tract. 


111 \%\ 1 1 1 'ill 


1 

• 


Specular Coxe 

Tract. 





KlVERVILLE AND 
WlNHKIELD. 



£ 



Metallic iron 66.229 65.71 

Phosphorus 0.023 0.009 

Ferricoxide 94.613 90.74 



Manganous oxide none 

Alumina none 

Lime trace 

Magnesia | — 

Silica 4.370 

Phosphoric acid... 0.052 

Sulphur mine 

Titanic acid I — 

Water I — 



0.11* 
4.43 

0.29 
0.12 

I.H) 
0.2 

0.15 

o.l 



57.68 
0.035 

82.38 
0.32* 
1.96 
0.23 
0.6 

14.67 
0.08 



0.12 



65.71 

91.39 
0.17=1 
4.20 
0.20 
0.15 
3.4 
0.11 

0.10 
0.64 



i X 



52.98 
0.23 

75.69 
0.29 
3.76 
1.29 
0.25 
|16.60 
0.54 

0.18 
1.40 



57.30 
0.30 

81.86 
0.20 
3.06 
L.38 
0.1s 

11.32 
0.70 

0.22 

1.08 



*Ferrous oxide. 



Stapleton. 


Cherry 
Tree. 

54.65 
0.29 


6ft.vein 

46.09 
0.10 


Stapleton 
Cliff. 


Lee Red. 


Metallic iron.. 
Phosphorus.... 


47.20 
0.32 


O.06 


Stapleton. 


Kent. 


Maude. 


2- £"h 

• — 5.5 

! '- ? ' ' ' 


Maude. 

Aver, ship- 

mentsJan. 

to March... 


Metallic iron.. 
Phosphorus... 
Manga nous 


0.001 


62.796 
0.099 


22. .'.7 
0.08 

54.669 


0.06 







The ores of the James River Valley, above 
Lynchburg, are, as a rule, hematites, with a 
somewhat higher percentage of phosphorus, 
and lower in metallic iron than the specular 
and magnetites of the Mount Athos region, 
but existing in much larger deposits and more 
easily and cheaply mined. Prof. Campbell, 
of the Virginia Military Universitv, in a re- 
port made by him to the James River and 
Kanawha Canal Co., speaking of this part of 
the James River Valley, says: "The canal and 
its railway connection traverse every one of 
the five great ore-bearing geological forma- 
tions of Virginia, and one of the finest lime- 
stone regions of America." Of the develop- 
ments in the neighborhood of Clifton Forge 
and Iron Gate, Prof. Campbell writes: " 'Red- 
shale' and 'Fossil' ores are mined at Clifton 
Forge, where they are found in the shales in- 
terstratified with the heavy beds of hard 
gray sandstones that constitute a large por- 
tion of the remarkable arches, or rather suc- 
cession of concentric arches, so strikingly dis- 
played where the river passes through" Rich 
Patch Mountain. The ores of this formati n 
were extensively mined on the eastern slope 
of Rich Patch Mountain for some years, to 
supply the Roaring Run Furnace in Botetourt 
county. They are now highly valued for 
mixing with the more silicious ores of a high- 
er formation, those of No. VII. of Rogers, and, 
when their real value becomes better known, 
I have no doubt that they will be developed 
in many new localities along the faces and 
flanks of both North and Rich .ratch moun- 
tains. 

"Analyses of seven samples, from different 
localities, give a range in percentages of iron 
from 38.71 to 57.12, and an average of 49.45; a 
range of phosphorus from 0.14 to 0.98, and an 
average of 0.3S for four samples. 

"The ridges that have been thrust up from 
the bottom of our great trough-like valley are 
very important features; for they have lifted 
up and brought to view extensive beds of 
both ore and limestone for the use of furna- 
ces; as, for example, at Longdale and Califor- 
nia furnaces, both supplied from the same up- 
lift, Brushy Ridge. 



108 



Engineers 1 Society of Western Pennsylrania. 



"To illustrate the resources of this forma- 
tion, it is only necessary to enumerate the 
principal furnaces that are now, or have been, 
supplied from its beds of ore. Beginning at 
the Augusta end, we hare in that county, 
Buffalo Gap, Ferrol (Elizabeth), and Esteline 
furnaces; Bath and California, in Rockbridge; 
Australia and Longdale, in Alleghany; and 
Rebecca, Callie, Roaring Run and Grace, in 
Botetourt. 

"Longdale and Callie furnaces have very 
large and still widening developments of very 
fine ores; and they are both within reach of 
competition in transportation. Then along 
the base of Rich Patch Mountain on the 
Kayser lands, and at points south of Callie 
Furnace, as on the lands of Messrs. Woods 
and Reynolds, there are promising indications 
of ore beds not yet opened to any great ex- 
tent. This belt of undeveloped beds extends 
along the western and middle portions of 
Craig county for some miles beyond New- 
castle. Then on the western slope of North 
Mountain, the still inexhausted beds of the 
old Rebecca Furnace, near Dibrell's Springs, 
are only awaiting transportation and cheap 
fuel. 

"Let us now tabulate all these general re- 
sults of the analyses of the ores of the four 
belts west of the Blue Ridge: 



Forma- 
tions. 


Range of 

metallic 

iron. 


Phos- 
phorus. 


Average 

of 

iron. 


Av. of 
phos- 
phorus. 


Primal, No. I 

Hudson, No. 

Ill 


40.62 to 55.84 
48.97 to 55.66 


0.06 to 1.08 


50.87 

51.91 

49.45 
51.12 


0.35 


Clinton, No. 
V 


38 71 to 57 1" o 1 1 tn n or 


38 


Oriskany 


■ 58.29 


0.03 to 0-96 


0.38 



A letter from the owners of Callie Furnace, 
near Clifton Forge, speaking of their magnifi- 
cent deposits of ore, says : "I would have liked 
very much to have shown you two of our 
openings you did not see— one a very fine ore 
of very dark color, manganese ore, a new 
opening, just made, very rich in iron. The 
other, our new red ore,which has been tested 
by the Cambria Iron Company, who report 
.0189 of phosphorus and 54 per cent of iron, 
and this from the surface, before being open- 
ed, as it now is, showing 25 feet in width, 
and not through it yet." 

Uf the Reynolds Bluff, before mentioned, 
which now belongs to Mr. D. S. Cook, and is 
called the Walton Mines, the vein of which 
is at least forty feet thick, Mr. Cook gives the 
following analysis by Mr. Britton : 

Metallic Iron 51.57 

silica L3. it; 

Sulphur none 

Phosphorus 0.049 

This was a surface specimen. Another sur- 
face specimen gives 



Metallic Iron 59.410 

Sulphur none 

Phosphorus 0.289 

"The phosphorus would be probably less fur- 
ther in the vein." 

We have not mentioned these properties in 
detail because they were more promising than 
a score of others in this valley, but because 
we have more definite information from 
them. We have used them only as types of 
what seems, all things considered, to be one of 
the most interesting and important ore sec- 
tions in the country— a section where there 
is as much activity at the present moment in 
ore as in any part of the country. Our 
most prominent and sagacious ironmasters 
are investing largely in these lands, and 
at their suggestions capitalists are joining 
them. New furnaces are constructing, and 
old ones are repairing and going into blast. 
Ferrol, Callie, Low Moor, Longdale,— all mod- 
ern coke furnaces— are or will soon be in blast 
in the neighborhood of Clifton Foige, and 
making iron at a cost of not more than $12 a 
ton, and in some cases less than this. 

And what of all this to Pittsburgh? We 
are a society of engineers, who are popularly 
supposed not to be influenced by the "Qui 
bono" of the practical man; but after all, this 
is the question: How is this to benefit Pitts- 
burgh and Western Pennsylvania? 

If Pittsburgh is to continue to manufacture 
and not to buy its pig iron, and the wonder- 
ful achievements of our furnaces and the im- 
provements in progress warrant the belief 
that she will so continue, one of the most 
important questions in connection with the 
future of our furnace industry is the supply 
of ore. 

Of the value and abundance of the rich 
and pure ores of Lake Superior and Missouri 
there is no question, and the fact that for 
years to come we must draw a large percent- 
age of our supplies from this locality is also 
evident; but it is only the dictate of a wise 
business policy to secure if possible other and 
nearer sources of supply. The locality in 
which these supplies are to be sought is un- 
doubtedly the Virginias. They are the near- 
est, and the indications are that they are the 
purest and most abundant. Within less than 
300 miles of this city, "as the crow flies," lie 
these immense bodies of ore, of some of 
which I have endeavored to give you some 
general idea. That they can be mined cheap- 
ly, and are suitable for our furnaces and our 
work is proven by the facts. From the re- 
gion below Lynchburg 60,000 tons have 
already been sold by Messrs. Naylor & Co. 
for delivery this year, mainly to Western 
Pennsylvania furnaces, among which are 
Dunbar, Charlotte, Edgar Thomson and Cam- 
bria. From the Low Moor property, for sev- 
eral years ores have been sent to the Ohio 
and down the river to Ironton furnaces. The 
product of Longdale and Quinnemont fur- 



Weeks — Notes of a Trip Through the James River Valley. 



109 



naces is well known in this market, and that 
of Callie and Low Moor will soon be. 

The chief hindrance to the development of 
these ores has been the lack of transportation 
facilities. With the completion of the Rich- 
mond and Allegheny railroad, which is being 
laid on the tow path of the James River 
Canal, access to many of these ores will be 
easy; and as the grades are very low, freight 
can be easily moved; but the great hope is 
the building of a line of road to connect 
Pittsburgh through West Virginia with the 
Valley of the James. 

The value of such a road to Pittsburgh can- 
not be told. In addition to opening up these 
vast stores of iron ore, it* would open up a 
large market for our product that is now con- 
trolled by the East. The development of the 
South in the next ten years promises to be 
marvelous. Its rich and fertile lands are 
being broken up into small farms, and with 
prosperity will come a demand for all of the 
products "for which our city is noted. Such a 
road would give us a new outlet to the sea, 
and that by a port that promises, if improve- 
ments in contemplation are carried out, to be 
the great seaport of the country, south of 
New York. 

I submit that here is a field for Pittsburgh's 
energy. Surveys are now in progress for this 
road, and I believe that if Pittsburgh will 
show an interest in the project in any way 
commensurate with the va'ue it will be to 
her industries, the road will be built, the vast 
mineral resources of the James River region 
and the timber of West Virginia made cheap- 
ly available, and the great southern market 
opened to her merchants and manufacturers. 



Notes op Discussion of Mr. Weeks' Paper, 
February 22, 1881. 
Mr. Kent— This question is one of vital 
importance to engineers and Pittsburgh at 
large. Some of the ores from this country 
are as fine as any I ever saw. In regard to 
the testimony and analyses made I think 
they ought to convince the people that there 
is excellent ore there in very large quantities. 
There is something peculiar about the devel- 
opment of much of this Southern country. 
North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and other 
states were settled before Pennsylvania, and 
although some of them possess natural valu- 
able resources equal to Pennsylvania, they 
have lain dormant. Virginia is now emerg- 
ing from her stupor. Pittsburgh now has the 
opportunity to develop these immense fields 
of ore. 

Mr. Reuben Miller — I regret very much 
that I was unable to be present so as to hear 
the first part ot this interesting paper, and 
on that account I feel that I hardly have a 
right to say that I would like to have this 
discussion postponed for two or three weeks. 



Mr. Jos. D. Weeks — We have talked every 
year about the scarcity of ore and the high 
prices, and sworn that we would "never, no 
never," pay these prices again, and yet every 
time we have done it over again, when we 
have within 300 miles this enormous supply 
of iron ore. I believe the great trouble has 
been the lack of transportation. If Pitts- 
burgh will just show it wants this road, it can 
have it. I do not think they want much 
money. If we make these men who are de- 
veloping this region believe we want the 
road, that is all they want. Such a road would 
tap every great trunk line east of Chicago. I 
want to see a road from Pittsburgh through 
West Virginia and Virginia, more especially 
for the ores of Virginia. If Pittsburgh is to 
retain her prestige she must seize every 
facility. 

Mr. W. F. Zimmerman — In conversation 
recently with an engineer familiar with the 
region described, he spoke of the vast quan- 
tities of ore, and said, as was mentioned in 
the paper, that Richmond would be before 
many years the largest sea port south of JNew 
York. I think the matter should be post- 
poned and continued for discussion. 

Mr. Reuben Miller — If the discussion 
were postponed it would be of course until 
the next meeting. I would suggest that after 
the paper is printed, copies be sent to the 
manufacturers and all interested, and that 
they be invited to be present and join in the 
discussion. Too much cannot be said on this 
subject. 

Mb. Samuel Wickersham — Is it the railroad 
we are to consider or the ores? If it is sim- 
ply a matter of the ores they can be delivered 
now in any quantity. If we can have ore 
delivered for $8.50 per ton 1 do not see any 
good of going to the expense of another 
road. And if we had a new road the proba- 
bility is prices would be just as high. So far 
as the ore is concerned it rests entirely upon 
how low it can be offered. In this city we 
have plenty of low ore and we are learning 
to manufacture these ores and make iron as 
cheaply as from the high ores. I do not 
think there is any question but that Pitts- 
burgh will maintain her position. Years ago 
I heard this same cry that Pittsburgh was 
going to lose her place as a great iron indus- 
try, but in every case where the question has 
been raised we have successfully met the 
difficulties and Pittsburgh is to-day stronger 
than ever. The ingenuity of Pittsburgh 
manufacturers will always meet the emer- 
gency. I have seen cold blast charcoal iron 
lying on our wharves for over two years at $14 
per ton offered without buyers. There is no 
doubt that Pittsburgh will continue to be the 
great iron center. 

Mr. Jos. D. Weeks — If there is any man 
who believes in the future of Pittsburgh I 
am that man, and this is the reason that I 
want to see a road put through. We want 



110 



Engineers,'' Society of Western Pennsylvania. 



that Pittsburgh should have every facility. 
With regard to lowering the prices of ores 
and freight there is no use discussing the 
matter, it must be done if Pittsburgh is to 
maintain her position. 

Mr. T. P. Koherts— I think I could add a 
few words on the transportation question. I 
have been absent from Pitt^burgn for some 
seven or eight months in the eastern part of 
the state. While in Chambersburg I heard 
a great deal of this ore, and also of the ex- 
tension of railroads. It was proposed to 
strike into this country. Lately a New York 
company purchased titles to about 8 miles of 
railroad property in the South. The Atlantic 
and Mississippi, or it may be the A., O. & M., 
is pushing its lines. That is an index that 
some of the great capitalists see a great deal 
in this Southern country. I think that Pitts- 
burgh ought to have the most direct facilities 
and the shortest lines to the South that can 
be had. 

Mr. Wm. Kent — Two or three years ago the 

f>rice of ore was $7 per ton at Cleve- 
and, and I think it is about time some other 



places were receiving the benefits as well. 

The President— 1 started once to go 
through that country myself, but was unable 
to make the round trip. We spent a week in 
the Cranberry region and traced a vein for 
28 miles without a break, openings not less 
than 5 feet in any case. The whole country 
is filled with fine forests. That country can 
also be reached as soon as Pittsburgh gets a 
Southern connection. We had some samples 
of ore from South Carolina; some of this we 
melted in a crucible, getting 28 lb. yield, 
about 66 per cent of the ore put in. We took 
some of this free from dross and melted it 
again with manganese and drew it into a bar 
which was sent to one of our most expert axe 
makers, who sent back the steel made up into 
axes, and when asked said the steel was 
about as good as the Crescent brand, thinking 
we were trying to sell him some new mate- 
rial. And this was the result of a few crude 
tests. 

[After some further desultory remarks, the 
motion as made by Mr. Miller for postpone- 
ment until March 15th was carried.] 



